Enhancing the constitutive resistance in Capsicum annuum L. fruits against anthracnose development
Nimal Adikaram: National Institute of Fundamental Studies
<div><strong> </strong></p> <p>This study was undertaken to enhance natural disease resistance of <em>Capsicum annuum</em> L. cvs. HYW and CA-8, against anthracnose and postharvest quality, through some selected pre- and postharvest treatments. <em>C.acutatum</em> was shown to be associated with chili anthracnose for the first time in Sri Lanka. Potassium silicate (Kasil<sup>®</sup>) was applied as a postharvest treatment at concentrations, 0 (control), 100, 200, and 400 mg/l and found that the concentration at 200 mg/l was effective. Elicitor treatment, at 200 mg/l, was done once in a week for 4 weeks, it resulted in significantly reduced anthracnose disease when the harvested fruits were challenge-inoculated with <em>C. acutatum</em>. Postharvest application of potassium silicate (Kasil<sup>®</sup>), at the same concentration reduced anthracnose lesion area by 25 - 100%, compared to the untreated controls. Postharvest spray treatment of chili at mature, green stage with potassium silicate at 200 mg/I, reduced the severity of anthracnose development by 34-100%. Spore germination assay revealed that potassium silicate has no antifungal effect on conidia of <em>C. acutatum</em>. Potassium silicate (Kasil<sup>®</sup>) treated fruits, inoculated with <em>C.</em><em> acutatum </em>after harvest, showed greater accumulation of phytoalexins. Related (PR) Proteins such as β-1, 3-glucanase are considered to play an important role in plant disease resistance.</div>
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